Occupy Miami Movement Underway As Wall Street Protests Continue

Almost in its third week now, the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City have sparked a series of similar protests around the country.

The protests have not galvanized in Miami yet, but local activists have been meeting and planning protests, including the initial meeting last week where about almost 200 people showed up to Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.

Occupy Miami will be meeting again tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m. at Bayfront Park for their second planning assembly.

There is also an Occupy Fort Lauderdale movement emerging, which will meet up at 6 p.m. Saturday in front of the Broward Main Public Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave.

So you can make both of them and not miss anything.

“Everybody is welcome,” said Bruce Stanley, a 27-year-old graphic designer who wrote his account of the first meeting here. “Come out and have your voices heard.”

The question that many people are asking: what exactly are these occupation activists pissed off about?

They are pissed off at many things, but mostly at how the corporations are essentially running this country.

“It’s really not a democracy, but a plutocracy,” said Muhammed Malik, 29. “Corporations are the new evil high priests of society in how they rule and dominate us without giving consideration to our social and economic conditions.”

But there’s so much more they are pissed about. There’s so much more to be pissed about. The above video gives you a general idea.

Right now, it is not clear what type of occupation they will be doing, but they assure us something will be done.

One of their concerns will be dealing with Miami police, which earned a pretty horrible reputation in dealing with activists during the 2003 Free Trade Area of the Americas meetings.

“We’re letting them know in advance not to pull that shit,” Malik said. “We’re going to be strong. We’re not anti-cop, we’re anti-brutality.”

“It’s become very clear that the only way to a political candidate is to be heavily financed, and that’s not working for us as Generation Y,” Stanley said.

The mainstream media has criticized the occupation movement as not having a clear focus or established leaders

But all that is coming together, Stanley said.

“Democracy is a messy process, but there are a lot of people stepping up to the idea that they can be part of that process,” he said.

Robby Davis, who is participating in Occupy Fort Lauderdale, stated the following in a Facebook message:

I first would consider myself a democrat, and secondly, I believe in the occupy movement because its is the true voice of the people. Middle class, lower class, blue collar, white collar, students, retirees, vets are all joining together for a common purpose. The time has come for us to contribute to our own overall well-being, since the current system is flawed.

I will not pay into an already broken system. Corporations are intertwined in politics, and it needs to change. I hope the nationwide occupy movements help raise awareness about the grave injustices being committed every day by the 1% on Wall Street. They do not care about the economy, they care about themselves. They control the markets and create artificial growth for personal gain. The result is hard working people getting taken advantage of and losing their entire savings to a greedy few.

I hope this turns into a global revolution, inspiring a new way to govern. Big Banks, Bailouts, Unemployment, Healthcare, the list of grievances goes on and on. Its time the people take action. For the people, by the people. It is time local communities take local action through local general assemblies.

Keeping a peaceful movement is vital, and I am proud to see it happen. If not now, when? How much longer. I am proud to support OWS and Occupy Ft. Lauderdale.

4 Comments on

"Occupy Miami Movement Underway As Wall Street Protests Continue"

I’m glad to see people speaking out for their rights. But I wonder, doesn’t Ron Paul support the deregulation of corporations? Isn’t that the opposite of the type of change that the 99 percenters are working toward?

Posted on 10/07/2011 at 1:06 PM

Blackford Oakes
says:

Paul is not a proponent of ” too big to fail.”
That might be part of the confusion. Then again, many of those protesting seem confused and calling on stuff that have ramifications they have no idea about.

After the bailout of 08, there’s got be be a guideline and triggers where troubled companies can be quarantined from harming the economy and left to die.

Posted on 10/07/2011 at 4:39 PM

PaulK
says:

ALL OF YOU VOTED FOR HOPE & CHANGE !! WHAT’S THE MATTER ?
YOUR SAVIOUR NOT HELPING ??? !!!! GO TO CUBA IF YOU HATE GREEDY CAPITALISTS !
THEY HAVE A ONE PARTY NANNY GOVERNMENT THAT WILL GIVE YOU FREE MEDICAL, 1 POUND OF RICE A MONTH AND IF YOU ARE LUCKY SIZE 8 BROWN RUSSIAN SHOES !

Yes, Paul, you’re right. Obama has been a big disappointment! But not because he’s a “Socialist” as some people suggest, rather because he continues the policies of the Bush administration. As much as I wish we’d had someone else in there, I’m soooo glad Sarah “I can see Russia from my house” didn’t get to be our VP. Thank God for small favors, at least.

Posted on 10/08/2011 at 12:17 PM

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